The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-06-05
GAME FISH HEREABoUT.
Salmon and shad In the Hudson and the
Bluensh or the Coast


During the season just closing about fifty
salmon. weighing from 10 to 2Spounds each
have been taken In tho Hudson River and new
York bay between Sandy Hook and Albany.
This is an unusual catch OF this valuable and
popular food fish, which, until within very
few years, was an entire stranger to these
waters. Last year loss than half that number
were taken, and tho year before only one or
two, which were supposed to BIO stragglers from
other folds But the noticeable catch Of this
year, and tho distribution OF the fish along tho
Hudson. conyinces the State Fish Commission
ers that they are tho return crop OF the spawn
planted q few years ago by tho Commission
near Glen's Falls.
Beside the salmon caught in tho Hudson"
SAYS Fish Commissioner Eugene Black
ford. "thero have been number caught
along tho shores Of Long Island. b.
tween forty and fifty have been taken
on the east end OF the Island. evidently
OF the same stock A fine fish weighing
eleven pounds was caught on Wednesday In
tho east end OF Gravesend Bay. These catches
assure us that the seed started at Glen's Falls
has produced good results. and that the salmon
is thus made domestic fish with us. II we
encourage them they will remain here and
multiply rapidly. There is only one difficulty
to spawn. but the dam above Troy stops them
and turns them back. They can't got over that
dam, and unless that difficulty Is averted they
will disappear from here entirely and all our
cd. of The feSissta p has passed bill for the
construction Of u fish weir In that dam to ena-
bio the salmon to reach their spaWnihg pe9s.
II ho approves It So mon will, within a few
years. become abundant and cheap In this mar
ket, tho product Of our home fisheries.
DrOpayntlOn,'
missioner blackboard, notice the wonderful rG-
suits which have followed our efforts t9 cult
River has actually become the most produc.
tive Of any. river on the entire Atlantic coast
now closing has boon really phenomenal, and
without my precedent in our history. while
tho quality Of the fish taken has been unsur;;
the State Fish Commission But while the
g SON f for the fishermen. This has beon due
to two causes. The season opened two weeks
son and the CONSEQUENT muddy water, SO that
the fishermen lost that much time, Then
Wesn tine the %
munoratiye rate All q which was good & for
reports OF the seasons catch are Just begin
erai way that the yield has been phsnomena
show f how Great at tho catch has been, take one
illustration: At line OF so poles off Canal
street, In this city, one fisherman took an aver
age OF LOO fish daily, ut two fittings day"
Tho Commissioner said 1t was too early vet
to form any idea Of what the buefshing would
be this year. The bluefsh,"' he said. arc
Just beginning to shoW up and are as S yet yeEy
midst of tho season. and shall then know
whether this popular fish will be plentiful or
not. Bluellsh,' continued the Commissioner,
ARE the most eccentric and capricious
Of all our fishes, You can't tell any
thing about them, in advance. Some sea-
and other seasons, without any apparent rea-
son. they avoid the coast. and are caught with
difficulty. Within q hundred years they have
at times disappeared entirely from this vcini-
ty, and on one occasion. remained away tor
four years, until everybody supposed they had
left us for good. Then they reappeared as sud-
denly and as mysteriously. Their, ways and
whims are peculiar among all the jewellers OF
the sea, and past finding out"